Antiglare device eor lamps



' sept. 4, 1923. 1,467.194

G. E. PETERSEN ANTIGLARE DEVICE FOR LAMPS Filed Oct. 50. 1922/A/VE/vro/f George E. Petersen `aZ0 y zmgw.

Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTIGLARE DEVICE FOR LAMPS.

Application filed October 30, 1922.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonon E. Pnrnnsnn, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Bristol, county ofBucks, State of Pennsylvania, have invcnted a certain new and usefulImprovement in Antiglare Devices for Lan'ips, of Whichthe following is aspecification- Some of the objects of the present invention are toprovide an improved anti-glare or dimming device for lamps which reflector project rays of light ina desired direction; to provide means .fordeflecting the projected light rays of a lamp, or permitting such raysto travel uninterrupted at the will of the user of the lamp, or thedriver of the vehicle to which the lamp is attached; 'to provide animproved anti-glare mechanism which can be applied to head lamps in useor can be built into such a lamp at the time of manufacture; to providea shutter mechanism for head lanips whereby the direct rays or thoseproducing glare can he deflected without inaterially, (liminishing` theilluinination in the vicinity of the lamp; to provide a plurality ofrelatively iixed shutters arranged to swing about a common axis in amanner to rcgulate at will the lightravs emanating from a lainp; and toprovide other iniproveincnts as will hereinafter. appear.

In the accoinpanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of ahead lamp equipped with a shutter niechanism embodying one forin of thepresent invention; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the sameshowing in dotted lines a second position of the device; Fig. 3represents a modification of the attaching(means for the device; andFig. 11 reprcsents a side elevatiou of the same.

Referring to the drawings, one form of the present in'vention is shownas applied to a motor vehicle lainp 10, of well known constructionhaving` a body 11 and a [ianged band 12 attached thereto and serving asa inounting for the lens 13. In general the lamp casiug 11 or itsreflector parts are of parabolic shape to reflect the light rays inparallel relation in front of the lamp as will be understood.

For the purpose of intercepting such parallel reflected light rays atdesired times to Serial No. 597,763.

break the glare therefrom and to defiect such rays in a nianner tocontinue to illuminate the path of the vehicle, a plurality of shutters1-1 are providech- Which are arranged in superposed slightly inclinedparallel relation and all fixed at their respective ends to a ring or aflanged ring` 15, Which has -a diameter su'iicient to encircle the band12 of the larnp .10. Preferably the widthvof the flange 15 tapersdownwarclly so that the iange becomes gradually narrovver and terminatesin a relatively thin lower marginal edge This construction serves toprevent the light rays from being cut off around the lower and bottomportion of the lainp and thereby increases the illuinination of theroadway.

In order to Inount the ring 15 for swinging inovernent relative to thelamp 10, the band12 is provided With two outwardly projectingI pivotpins or studs 16, preferabh7 located at horizontally, diametriraliyopposite points to function as bearings to support opposite sides of thefiauged ring '15. Suitalile nuts or heads 1.7 cooperate with therespective pins 10 to retain the ring 15 properly held for pi'votal orswinging' movelnenf on the said pins. fhile the ufore- Sa'id pins '16are here arrang'cd diametrically opposite, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the exact location of the axis ofrotation. of the ring The shutters 141 are arranged in parallel relationbut angularly disposed with respect to the plane of the ring` 15, thearrangen'ient being such that in a dinnning position the shutters 141are inclined downwardly and each has a Width such that the outer edgethereof projects below the inner edge of the next lower slnitter. Thiscauses the direct rays of light from the lanip to he deflecteddmvnwardly and thereby eliminates all rays of a glaring nature from thevision of anyone approaching the lainp .from the front. Furtherinore thelower face of each shutterl 141 is preferably treated hy nickel platingor otherwise to provide a light reflecting surface so that the maximumluniinosity of the downwardly deflected rays is obtained. The uppersurface of each shutter 111 is painted or otherwise coated with -lightabsorbing material in order to prevent any of the downwardly clefiectedrays from being again reflected forward or into the path of anyone infront of the lamp.

As a means for holding the ring 15 in a position so that the shutters 14cut ofl' the glare and serve as a dimmer, a spring 18 is provided, oneend of which is attached to a rigid bracket strip 20 secured to the lampband 12, while its other end is secured to a lug 21, or other partformed on the. flanged ring 15. In this position the shutters 14intercept the parallel rays, which are forwardly projected, and reflectlthem downwardly, thereby eliminating all 'glare but still giving arelatively brilliant illumination of the roadway for a considerabledistance ahead and to both sides of the lamp or lamps.

For causing the ring 15 to be swung to a position in which the shutters14 are in an approximately horizontal position, asplit clamping lug 22is formed upon one side of the flanged ring 15 to receive an end of across-rod 23, which extends to and is connected to a shutter ring 15 onthe companionlamp at the opposite side of the vehicle. An operating wireor rod 24 is fixed at enn end to the cross-rod 23 and has its other endbrought to a convenient location within easy reach of the driver of thevehicle where it can be operated at 'will to control the actuation ofthe shutters 14. lVhen the rod 24 is moved toyshift the shutter ring 15to normal position, as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 2, it is fastenedto a suitable fiXed part in any well known manner to hold the shuttersagainst the tension of the spring 18. By releasing the `rod 24 theshutter mechanism is automatically shifted to dimming position by theaction of the spring 18 and the parts are firmly held against vibrationand rattle.

WVherethe anti-glare device is not constructed as a part of the lampwith which it is to be used, but is to be attached to a head lamp inuse, a split ring clamp 28, shown in Fig. 3, is provided, which isarranged to fit over the lamp barrel or casing and be rigidly securedthereto by a bolt 30 or other fastening means. Two oppositely locatedlatcrally projecting pins 31 are fixed to the ring rlamp 28 to serve asthebearing` supports for the shutter ring 15 in the same manner as dothe pins 16 of the built in type of shutters.

The Operation of the device is as'fol-` lowsz-Under normal runningconditions, the rod 24 is temporarily secured at its free end from thedriverls seat. so that the ring 15 is held in the position shown indotted lines Fig. 2, with the shutters approximately horizontal and therays of light from the lamp are unobstructed and have their fulllighting value for a considerable distance in front of the lamp.` VVhenan approaehing person er vehicle comes within the field of the projectedrays, the rod 24 is released and the spring 18 then functions to Swingthe ring 15 to the position shown n full lines Fig. 2. This causes allthe shutters 14 to move `simultaneously to the inclined position tointercept all forwardly projected direct light rays from the lamp anddeflect them angularly and in a direction to strike the roadway at anacute angle. The result is a relatively wide diffusion of light upon theroad 'to provide a safe driving range for the Operation of the vehicle,while to the approaching vehicle the dlffused light` serves as a safeguide without any glare from the lamp.

It should be noted that the present di1nmer device is widely differentfrom the complicated shutter type of dimmers heretofore suggested in theart in that all of the present shutters are a unitary rigid constructionhaving a common axis of rotation. construction gives a single `Inovablepart to be controlled, thereby aifording positive action in eitherposition, and also eliminates vibration and rattle. While the operatingmeans are here controlled manually it is to be understood thatelectro-magnetc means or any other means may be employed to This v causeshifting of the shutters without departing` from the invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. Thecombination with a lamp, of a flanged ring pivotally mounted thereon forrocking movement,-a plurality of parallelr downwardly inclined shutterslats carried therehy for downward deflection of light rays, means forrocking said ring to cause said shutter slats to assume a positionparallel to the direct rays of the lamp, and the flange of said ringbeing tapered to an extreme narrow lower marginal edge to permit thelight rays to be projected between the ring and the bottom portion ofthe lamp When the ring is in normal position.

2. The combination with a lamp, a ring frame pivotally connected `at itscenter to the lamp casing,` a` plurality of parallel downwardly inclinedshutter slats .iixed to said. ring frame, means for normally holding thering frame at an angle to the face of the lamp with its lower edgeabutt-ing the lower edge of said lamp face to cause the slats to defleetthe rays of the lamp downwardly, :md means to move said frame to aposition with its upper edge Overlapping the upper edge of the lamp faceto cause said slats to assume a position parallel with the direct raysfrom said lamp.

i The combination with. a lamp, of a band clamp arrangedto fit overand-be secured to the body of a lamp. a ring frame connected at, itshorizontal axis to said band clamp, 'a pluralityv of paralleldownwar'dly inclined shutter slats fixed 'to said ring' frame, means fornormally holding the ring position parallel with the direct rays fromframe at en engle to the face of said lamp to said lemp. cause saidslats to deflect the rays of lamp signed at Philadelphia, count)T ofPhila- 1 downwardly, and means to move said frame delphia, State ofPennsylvania, this 23 day 5 to a position with its upper edge portion ofOctober, 1922.

Overlapping the upper edge portion of the band clamp to cause said slatsto assume a GEORGE E. PETERSEN.

